COR CORDIUM

Here is another pure example of the symphonic prog style of the 70's, mainly Yes influenced, because of the vocals and the bass work. As for the keyboards, it has some ELP and Genesis influences, and is the dominant instrument on any Glass Hammer's cd. But on this cd the keyboards are not as bombastic as some previous cd's. The vocals have never been so present, and Jon Davidson was the missing piece to give the band all the sparks they need to perfect their compositions.

We can find a lot of very nice arrangements in the music that are quiet refreshing to hear from the band. There is some beautiful vocals parts, beautiful and delicate passages with acoustic guitars and piano. The compositions are very emotional because the melody is always on a high level even on the quiet passages. This is true on tracks that are developed at the slow pace for 6 minutes, but the vocals and the great instrument work keep the intensity throughout the whole song. What could have been a boring ballad, is rather a excellent song of 10 minutes.

This new cd is a little bit less bombastic and more oriented through vocals than the previous cd, "If" with some nice arrangements where every instruments shines with songs that have some strong melodies that can only takes us back to the best music of Yes.

The new album from Yes...sorry, I mean Glass Hammer, finds this inconsistent American outfit indulging their taste for classic symphonic prog to the absolute max. Everything here, from the attractive faux-Roger Dean artwork to the bright, keyboard-drenched music, smacks of both Yes-and-Genesis(and many more) circa their classic, early-seventies incarnations - plus the likes of England, Druid and Starcastle - leaving little room for originality. However, despite the derivative nature of much of the material on offer, most of 'Cor Cordium' is actually pretty decent, serving up over an hour of lushly-produced and carefully-orchestrated progressive rock with a capital 'P'. For those not in the know, Glass Hammer started life in prog-rock's darkest hour, 1987 no less, emerging from Tennessee with their Lord Of The Rings-inspired debut(and ridiculously titled) 'Journey Of The Dunaden'. Despite no label support and little enthusiasm for their sound from the music press, the group's debut surprised virtually everyone by selling a few thousand copies in it's first year. Since then, the group, which was founded by long-term members Fred Schendel(keyboards, guitar) and Steve Babb(bass, vocals), have released a series of classically-inspired albums and built up a loyal fanbase both in the United States and across Europe. Some of the music is informed by the duo's Christian faith, which leads some to bracket them in the Christian prog sub-genre, though by their own account attempts are made to separate their musical and theological beliefs. This mixture of disparate influences has lead to an unusually uneven output over the years - just check out the range of ratings on this very website that run the gamut from awful to awesome - yet 'Cor Cordium', which itself is a follow-up to the album 'If' of two years ago, DOES rank among their stronger efforts. Highlights include the lengthier pieces, with 'Nothing Box' and the eighteen-minute 'To Someone' perfectly illustrating their creative instincts, with intricate guitar-and-keyboard interplay, mystical lyrics and an ever-so-slight soft-rock veneer colouring the group's emotive sound. An enjoyable effort then, this should more than please die-hard symphonic-prog lovers, though don't be surprised if you get the nagging feeling you've heard it all before... STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

When I heard 'So here I am once more ...' at the first time from Marillion's debut album I did not refer the newly established band was a Genesis clone. The point was that Fish voice was not the same as Peter Gabriel and the music was not as Genesis. But when I heard this Glass Hammer's 'Cor Cordium' I thought it as Yes because the music and vocal timbre of Jon Davison is quite similar than Jon Anderson. But it did not stop me to play the album and it really grew on me as the more Iplay the more I enjoy the music.

Musically, Cor Cordium is quite simpler than classic Yes albums but the overall composition is really nice. One peculiar thing that I can observe at first spin is the guitar playing style that is different from Steve Howe. As I play the music quite often, I realize that I like this album and in some points I do not really care whether or not this album is like Yes replica. Even so, the band's is not boring. On composition, I can see the band has laid out very strong foundation in tag melody in every song they create. This proves that the album comprises tracks that are song-orientated. The harmonies produced bay all instruments as well as vocal line. In some segments they take the composition at the peak. There are changes in mood as well as tempo even though there are no abrupt changes. Well, I think this is the music direction and style that the band is willing to take and I respect it. The complexities are there as well. In some segments, there are complex arrangements even though overall they are not as complex as Yes.

The opener 'Nothing Box' (10:53) is a killer for me personally as it successfully blends excellent melody, musical and vocal harmonies, as well as captivating changes in moods and tempo. I can sense this track is really Yes-like but I do not mind with it. In fact, it gives me enrichment as the latest album by Yes 'Fly From Here' is even much more simples as well as quite loose in composition. I like the way Jon sings as the song progresses. He seems really enjoying himself taking the vocal department here. Keyboards and guitar are keys in this song - they form great combination throughout the song.

'One Heart' (6:20) starts off nicely with piano / keyboard work followed with stunning guitar solo just before vocal line enters the music. The music moves nicely in relatively slow mood with Jon Anderson like singing. The next track 'Salvation Station' (5:08) is basically a combined work of acoustic guitar and vocal in energetic style. 'Dear Daddy' (10:30) indicates Jon Davison's contribution to the band with his his personal message about his father. It's good lyrically. The music is quite simple and very close to ballad style.

'To Someone' (18:15) is the longest duration in the album starting with a vocal line followed with long sustain keyboard / synthesizer work. The music flows nicely in prog symphonic style with keyboard as main rhythm section while guitar solo takes the lead. There are very good guitar licks performed during the transition piece combined wonderfully with piano work. The mellotron-like sounds make the song look like the 70's prog music. There great breaks before the vocal enter the music. Well, I really enjoy the piano work as well as guitar. Oh by the way, the bass lines are also great, not only through this track - it happens with the previous ones. The concluding track 'She, A Lonely Tower' (10:57) is also an excellent one. In fact, I really enjoy the last track - it's beautifully composed by the band.

Overall, this is an exceent addition to any prog music collection. Keep on proggin' ...!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Can't wait to see Jon Davison sings at YES concert in Jakarta, Indonesia, 24 April 2012!

This 2011 release saw Glass Hammer as a four-piece, with additional guests. So, band leaders Fred Schendel (keys, guitars, vocals) and Steve Babb (bass, keys, vocals) were again joined by singer Jon Davidson and guitarist Alan Shikoh. Special mention should be made here of the artwork by Tom Kuhn which is just stunning, even before the CD makes it into the player there is the feeling that the listener is in for something special and it has to be said that the music doesn't disappoint. Glass Hammer have always been heavily influenced by Yes (as well as Genesis, ELP and Camel), and having current Yes singer in their ranks will obvious strengthen those links, but this is much more than a band trying to recreate 70's glory days of someone else. True, there are times when the band do sound very similar, but there are plenty of others such as "Salvation Station" which is quite different indeed. Here there is liberal use of acoustic guitar, piano, swirling keyboards, punchy basslines (which have a very different sound to Chris Squire) and just the right amount of lead guitar to provide additional class. Then of course over the top of all of this are Jon's vocals. He has an incredible voice, lots of melody and control and a very pure clear sound. It is strange to think that he is a relative newcomer to GH, as it sounds as if he has always been there.

Like all great prog albums, repeated playing rewards the listener, and whereas some albums can feel very heavy and somewhat tiring this has a freshness and light that carries the listener along ? so much so that during "Dear Daddy" I found myself smiling just because the music contains a real joy. Yet again Glass Hammer have released an album that belongs in every prog lover's collection and I look forward to the next one with real anticipation.

Glass Hammer's Cor Cordium is an album that simply made me smile from ear to ear. In the vein of classic Yes on crack?err?on steroids, Glass Hammer carves out a musical path which is familiar yet exciting in new ways. There's something that very much goes beyond their seventies influences in their brand of ultra-symphonic rock that unapologetically exploits the sonic spectrum with tons of texture, great synths, and nice melodies and grooves. If you don't mind hearing a band that takes a classic sound and improves on it in modern ways, this is a great listen. If you're stuck on Close to the Edge being the only album you enjoy, then you'll hate this.